Two hurricanes last fall, as well as general wear and tear from fishermen and wave action from the St. Johns River, have caused the bulkhead to crumble in Riverfront Park.

Riverfront Park in San Marco is still off limits with no hope of being reopened until sometime early in the new year.

According to Jacksonville Public Works officials, the fix needed to shore up or replace the crumbling bulkhead is still in the design stage, said Tia Ford, a city spokesperson.“The hope is for construction to begin as early in 2017 as possible. As planning continues, we’ll have a better idea of costs and a construction timeline,” she said.

In early October, rain, wind, and wave action from Hurricane Matthew took a toll on the popular waterfront park adjacent to River Road between Landon Avenue and Laverne Street. The storm deepened several craters, which had been punched in the grassy area previously by Hurricane Hermine, pulling away much of the soil and grass running adjacent to the concrete wall along the river and causing a dangerous situation for anyone walking or fishing near the river’s edge.

To alleviate safety concerns, the city erected a temporary, six-foot-high chain-link fence along River Road, which currently spans the park’s entire length, and it will remain until construction on the bulkhead begins.